Jeffrey and the Scarabs News

Jeffrey and the Scarabs News
- Please note that this news section is more than likely incomplete, out of date, and with huge numbers of sessions/gigs missed out. Hey, I'm a busy man!DEMO: The band are currently recording a demo, which should be completed by the end of the year.GIGS:SATURDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2001, WATERSIDE CENTRE, NEWBURY.Jeffrey and the Scarabs performed to a very lively and enthusiastic crowd as part of the annual 'Battle of the Bands' competition in Newbury, alongside 'Not By Choice', 'Yield', and 'Counter Culture'. Needless to say they lost, but received a tremendous ovation and some very promising words from the judge (his comments will be on this very website, very soon). Highlights included a fairly pissed but full of energy Collins warming up the crowd while Dixon and Pollock tuned up, as well as a well received 'oh-why-don't-we-do-a-cover-version-of-something' rendition of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', several people jumping on stage, a variety of wigs and beards, an obscene amount of alcohol, smoking and gurning, along with Dixon's cousin Jordan being invited on stage to play the cornet - dressed in a banana costume. The band started off their set with
INTRO TO I WANT TO BE A NUN where Collins introduced the band, and then drunkenly rambled on about various subjects, followed immediately after by a blistering performance of PROVERBIAL PROSTITUTE, which got the crowd going. After that came HOT DOGS FOR SALE, which received a similar response, with some of the more loyal Scarab fans singing along, leading into NAPPY BLUES, a fifties style number that got most of the crowd (something like 200 people at one point, I reckons) dancing. Following that came I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND, that got the other half of the crowd dancing (despite Collins describing it as 'a song I really hate'. ROCK N'ROLL SINGER also went down well, followed by SUPERSTICK, where the audience seemed to like the ska section the best. After that, PRIVATE HEALTHCARE, perhaps the bands strongest (and rockiest) song, kicked in with, with some excellent drumming and a near-perfect bass solo. Finishing off the set, the band launched into EVERYBODY'S HAPPY, and it's accompanying outro, which prompted several people to jump on the stage and dance - much to the organiser's annoyance. A truly great and fairly drunken evening was had by all. Oh, and the local press' immense coverage of the gig was summed up in the following words: 'Jeffrey and the Scarabs from Newbury dressed for the occasion in a variety of scatty hairpieces and Jordan, who guested on the cornet, sported a banana costume. The band's last number Everybody's Happy got everyone dancing and summed up the evening's atmosphere'. Yeah....cheers.SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER, SNOOTY FOX, NEWBURY.
After a brief practise session involving the writing of several new songs, Jeffrey and the Scarabs retreated to the Snooty Fox, where Dixon and Collins performed several unrehearsed acoustic songs as part of it's fortnightly 'Jam Night'. Starting off with a version of NAPPY BLUES, they then went on to play LIGHT MY FIRE, and I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND. They finshed their small section with a well received version of PRIVATE HEALTHCARE.SUNDAY 28TH OCTOBER, SNOOTY FOX, NEWBURY.
Once again, Dixon and a very drunk Collins (armed with his newly acquired kazoo) performed a small set at the Snooty Fox. Remaining faithful to their previous performance there, they played the same numbers (with a few rather stupid lyric changes), along with versions of EVERYBODY'S HAPPY and HONEST ANDY.SATURDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2001, PRIVATE HOUSE PARTY.Jeffrey and the Scarabs, ably supported by another Newbury based band 'Almost Grown', performed at a party known as 'Tudorstock', with Jordan once again playing the cornet. Opting to play a shorter set than the originally planned 14 song one, the results were as silly as expected. Noone can really remember the exact set (there were a fair few drinks and smokes being passed around), but it did involve the first performance of a new number - T.V. SONG, as well as favourites SUPERSTICK, PRIVATE HEALTHCARE and HOT DOGS FOR SALE.
SUNDAY 11TH NOVEMBER, SNOOTY FOX, NEWBURY.
After a very productive jam/recording/practise session, Collins, and Winter (THE DRUMMER!!) performed several songs at the Snooty. NAPPY BLUES was first, followed swiftly by an old favourite, FISHOP'S GATE. After the obligatory PRIVATE HEALTHCARE, came an extrememly well received version of HONEST ANDY. Beer, beer. beeeeeeer.